Not only that. They often are pathologically incapable of giving straight answers (I am talking about business dealings). It was / still is a major pain in the ass for me as I am very straight guy and have no desire to decipher what their evasive answers really mean. There are some rare exceptions though. Dealing with XXX Motors Canada almost shocked me in comparison because when their guy said they would do something it was like set in stone. They went out of their way to meet my needs. Dealing with Americans was a pleasure for me as well. They say A and it means A and it will be done.
Disclaimer - I am Canadian but was born in USSR, came here some 30 years ago.
Who/what do you consider to be a "Canadian" in 2022?
In Toronto and the surrounding cities, for example, about half of the population are foreign-born.
A significant proportion of the population of many other Canadian urban areas are foreign-born.
About 20% of the overall Canadian population are foreign-born.
Many of these people are from cultures that are quite different to anything resembling "traditional" Canadian culture.
Acquiring Canadian citizenship later in life doesn't necessarily change a person's values, attitudes, and so on.
A lot of Canadian-born individuals have one or both parents who are foreign-born, which also can have an impact on one's values, attitudes, and behaviour.
Even among those with multi-generational ties to Canada, there were already significant cultural/values/attitude/behavioural differences among the various groupings.
Ultimately, in any given interaction with somebody in Canada today, there's a good chance you're dealing with somebody whose ties to "traditional" Canadian culture are limited, or even non-existent.
Maybe some kind of a relatively cohesive "Canadian" culture or identity existed at one point, several decades ago, but I don't think that's the case any longer, especially in the urban areas.
I am frequently that person giving evasive answers.
Why? Avoid blame and I do not speak up when my manager leaves me in a bad position.
My priority in many meetings is merely to not get nailed down on something that I can be whacked with later. Better to avoid all accountability, as Canada doesn't really reward doing a good job.
No, it has to do with our relatively flat social structure. Nobody can win, so may as well focus on not losing. Canada is not a country that will let you win big for having big accomplishments.
Disclaimer - I am Canadian but was born in USSR, came here some 30 years ago.